Boiling the wort

I started my first brew two weeks ago. I'm doing a Scottish ale. The kit was a DME with specialty grains. I steeped the grains up to 170 F then waited for the boil. I used the electric cooktop in our kitchen and had difficulty achieving a boil and maintaining it. The recipe called for a 1 hr boil with hops added a 45 min and 58 min. I added a whirlfloc at 45 min.

My question: If I did not maintain a full rolling boil during the 1 hr, will that effect my brew? Also, will it effect the clairity of my beer?

My beer has been in the secondary for on week and doesn't seem to be clearing up, still cloudy.

Thanks for your comments.

A couple of things

1) You should keep the temps of your water under 160 while steeping your grains. Only use 170 water to sparge the grains (rinse them of any left over flavor) when you strain them

2) Did you use any Irish Moss in your recipe? This will help clear the beer. I normally add at 10 minutes

3) Im assuming the scottish ale is a rather dark color in your secondary? If so the only real way I've found to tell if it will be clear is to take a sample with a wine theif or something and hold it up to the light. The 5 gallons of beer makes it seem a lot "cloudier" than it might look in a pint glass just because that volume of beer blocks most light from transferring through it.

Good luck and CHEERS!

Lack of a full rolling boil won't hurt, nor should it impact the final clarity. Looking a a smaller sample is a good idea.

If you are not happy with the clarity at two weeks, get some finings (isinglass, polyclar, etc.) and follow the directions. In 2-3 days, all the floaties will be gone.

Whirlfloc/irishmoss, all the beer recipes say 15 minutes. The product directions say 45-60 minutes. Go figure.

How do you know it's not clear? Looking into a carboy is impossible to tell color or clarity...unless you are seeing floating stuff?